MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES MARYLAND PARK SERVICE

Summer Fun in a Maryland State Park

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August days may be hot, but don’t let that deter you from visiting a Maryland State Park! There are plenty of ways to stay safe and comfortable while enjoying a summer day outside before schools are back in session. From the Perseid meteor shower on August 12 and 13 to Labor Day weekend, there are plenty of outdoor activities available throughout the state. Check out the following tips to stay safe while enjoying the summer sun! The sun during long summer days is a source of vitamin D as well as a way to enhance your mood, however, it also poses certain risks. To keep your family safe this summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:
  1. Cover up! This is the best line of defense against harmful ultraviolet radiation. Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during peak intensity hours.
  2. Wear a hat with a brim and sunglasses that provide UVA and UVB protection.
  3. Wear sunscreen on bright and cloudy days! Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.
  4. Reduce the intensity of activities that last 15 minutes or more.
  5. Drink freely until no longer thirsty before outdoor physical activities. Stop to drink at least every 20 minutes.
  6. Clothing should be light-colored and light-weight and limited to 1 layer of absorbent materials to facilitate evaporation of sweat.

Swim Safe
One very popular and enjoyable way to beat the heat is to find a place to swim this summer! Staying sun safe is important, but just as important is being water safe. The following are some tips and tricks to staying safe while enjoying the Maryland State Park waterfronts this summer.

  1. NEVER leave children alone in or near water, even for a moment. Close supervision by a responsible adult is the best way to prevent drowning in children.
  2. Less experienced swimmers and children under the age of 5 in or around water should have an adult within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”
  3. Never swim alone.
  4. Only swim in designated areas.
  5. Children should wear life jackets at all times when on boats, docks, or near bodies of water. Adults wear life jackets for their own protection, and to set a good example.
  6. Find additional sun and water safety tips at: https://www.cdc.gov or on the Department of Natural Resources' Boating Safety website

Have fun and play safe in the Maryland State Parks this summer!

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